October 2011 Call-in Week

United States National Committee for UN Women
Call In Week October 11-14, 2011

The United States National Committee for UN Women (USNC-UN Women) supports the mission of UN Women and social, political, and economic equality for women and girls around the world. USNC-UN Women serves as an advocate for increased funding and resources for UN Women and for better lives for women and girls around the world. Specific advocacy goals are to strengthen global policies that advance women’s rights; encourage the U.S. government’s financial support to UN Women, and raise awareness and support among key U.S. audiences for UN Women and for policies that advance human rights for women. As you know, U.S. foreign assistance funding is in serious danger of additional severe cuts, and this is a tremendous chance for you and your friends across the country to join voices with others to form a collective impact for women’s rights globally.  

USNC-UN Women has five major issue priorities: preventing violence against women, increasing women’s economic security; improving gender equity; advancing women’s leadership; and global health, focusing specifically on HIV/AIDS, as UN Women supports networks of HIV-positive women and works to highlight the contributions and priorities of women living with or affected by HIV and AIDS, and on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), as UN Women is focused on the specific needs and challenges of girls and women at risk of or living with NCDs. 

Why are we calling?

1.    To ask for support for the 2012 International Affairs budget, which will ensure:
•    786 million dollars of support for global health programs
•    482 million dollars of support for development assistance
•    303 million dollars of support for migration and refugee assistance
•    242 million dollars of support for international assistance

2)    To ask for support for greater funding for UN Women
•    Giving women in poor countries economic opportunities empowers them to make a change
•    By creating and supporting gender policy, women around the world will be given a chance for a better future
•    UN Women is only budgeted for 7.5 Million dollars by the Senate and the House Numbers are not public.  A small increase in investment for women would yield great gains.

Who do you call?

a.    House – (202) 224-3121
b.    Senate – (202) 224-3121
c.    To contact your local Senators and Representatives, input your address at this website.
d.    Introduce yourself to the receptionist and make sure that he/she takes your name and address so that your message is logged. Insist they take your information if they forget to ask for it.
e.    Tell the receptionist that you recognize that Congress is making tough budget decisions right now and share why you, as a constituent, feel strongly that your member of Congress fight to protect programs in the International Affairs Budget (that includes funding for UN Women) that save lives and help the world’s poor pull themselves out of poverty.
f.    Feel free to share why this issue is important to you and let the receptionist know if you are active in your community. It helps when members of Congress know that people across that their constituents care about protecting poverty-focused foreign assistance. Feel free to refer to additional talking points above.
g.    Say thank you! Receptionists often have many duties, but saying thanks is a great way to let them know that the delivery of your message is important to you!

The above bullet points for the International Affairs budget and UN Women funding are your talking points.

Will my one call make a difference?

YES! Congress responds to its constituents, but unfortunately vulnerable women and children around the world can’t voice their needs to Congress – they are counting in you and your voice as a constituent to help protect poverty-focused foreign assistance.

I’ve never called Congress before. Is it hard?

Making a call is really easy and it only takes a few minutes! When the office receptionist answers the phone, follow the basic call script below. The receptionists’ job is to make sure messages from constituents are relayed to their boss, so make sure you give them your name and address so they can officially log your call into their database.

What else can you do?

•    Email these instructions to friends

•    Tweet about the call-in week. Call congress to request more UN Women funding. Spread the world via Twitter using the common hashtag #cutscostlives #unwomen.
Here are some sample tweets:
o    I just called my senator (or representative) & told him (or her) to PROTECT programs 4 the world's poor especially women and children. Will you? #cutscostlives #unwomen@link to landing page with call-in information
o    URGENT: Call Congress & tell them to protect programs that fight poverty #cutscostlives @link to landing page with call-in information

o    Post the call-in week on Facebook.
Here are some sample posts:
o    Act now: Call your member of Congress and tell them to protect programs that save millions of lives, strengthen our national security and help lift people out of poverty for the long-term. Link to landing page with call-in information.
o    URGENT: Call your member of Congress and tell them to PROTECT programs for the world's poor: Link to landing page with call-in information.
o    Less than 1% of the US budget goes to programs for the world’s poor. Don’t let the Senate take that away! Link to landing page with call-in information.
o    Maximize the US’ development aid dollars: support a woman! Call your elected official today to request greater funding for UN Women. Link to landing page with call-in information.

Sample Call Script

Please feel free to add any powerful facts you want to share.
Hi, my name is _____, and I’m a constituent. I’m calling to ask [Rep./Sen.’s name] to oppose cuts to poverty-focused foreign assistance. I’m a volunteer with [organization’s name].
The U.S. spends less than 1% on poverty-focused foreign assistance — but this funding saves lives and protects our national security. Reducing funding for these programs won’t do anything for our national deficit, but it will have a tragic impact on life-improving and life-saving programs. By making small investments to give people the tools they need to lift themselves out of poverty, we are saving lives, protecting our national security, and helping to ensure our economic future. This important funding should not be disproportionally cut in the final FY 2012 budget.
Please take my name and address so I can hear back from [Rep./Sen.’s name] on whether he/she takes action to protect poverty-focused foreign aid. Thank you.